Warriors lose to Lyons in first round of regional play

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TOM STOPPEL
The Marion Warrior softball team saw its season come to an abrupt end when they fell to Lyons, 8-7, in the opening round of regional play Monday in Lyons.

The game started well for the Warriors as they scored three first-inning runs.

With two outs, Sarah Williams and Emmy Bowers drew walks off Lyon starter Tiffany Taylor.

Williams scored on a single from Kara Holt and Bowers crossed the plate when the Lions mishandled the relay throw.

Holt eventually scored on another Lions error to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead.

Lyons countered with a single run in the first inning.

After Bowers turned a double play at second base, Andrea Leiker reached on a Warrior error and scored on another error to cut the lead to 3-1.

Lyons continued to chip away in the bottom of the second inning when Jessica Steffan reached on an error and scored on a single from Taylor.

Marion added two runs in the third inning as Bowers and Holt both walked and then scored on wild pitches to boost Marion’s lead to 5-2.

Lyons roughed up starting pitcher Holt in the third inning as two walks and two base hits led to two Lion runs and a 5-4 Marion lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Lyons took the lead on three base hits and a walk-the big blow being a two-run, two-out single by Taylor.

But Marion showed its ability to come back by scoring twice in the top of the fifth.

Holt and Thomas walked with Holt scoring on a single from Megan Hudson. Thomas eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch to tie the game at 7.

The Lions scored what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning on a lead-off single and consecutive wild pitches from Holt.

Holt drew a walk to lead off the seventh inning, but a final quest for a comeback was thwarted when she was doubled off first base on a line drive off the bat of Hudson to end the game.

“We just had a few errors at the beginning of the game that came back to get us,” coach Charlotte Waner said. “Overall, I’m very proud of my girls because they put together both offense and defense today.”

Waner said the season was very taxing on both her and the squad.

“These girls have had a lot of adversity, especially lately, and I’m very proud of the way my girls have come together to be a unit. Even though these girls are young, people stepped up and did what they needed to do.”

Waner said the loss of her two seniors, Bowers and Caitlin O’Dell will be felt next season.

“Both will be missed on and off the field,” she said. “They come out every day with positive attitudes and show the younger girls what needs to be done.

“I’ll miss them tremendously.”

With the loss, the Warriors concluded their season with a record of 5-13.

Herington-Marion traveled to Herington May 13 to battle the Railers in what turned out to be a single contest because of weather conditions. Unfortunately, the Warriors dropped the contest by a score of 9-7.

With Leann Thomas on the mound, Herington jumped on top 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning courtesy of three hits and a walk.

But Marion bounced back in the top of the third when Morgan Cady reached on an error to lead off the inning and scored on a Caitlin O’Dell triple to cut the lead to 2-1.

Whitney Wear followed with a sacrifice bunt to score O’Dell, with Wear reaching safely on a Railer fielding error.

Wear moved to third base on a Sarah Williams single and scored on a wild pitch to put Marion on top 3-2.

But Herington countered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning with four walks and a single to put Herington on top, 5-3.

In the fifth, Wear walked with one out, advanced to third on a Williams single, and scored on a ground out by Emmy Bowers.

Leading just 5-4, Herington added four insurance runs in the bottom half of the fifth on three hits and three walks.

Marion scored a run in the sixth and then two in the seventh on a two-run homer by Bowers to cut the lead to 9-7.

But that’s all the offense the Warriors could generate as they fell to 5-10 for the season.

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